A Murder Is Announced Read Free Page B

the table.
    Patrick Simmons’ disclaimer came quickly.
    â€œNo, indeed, Aunt Letty. Whatever put that idea into your head? Why should I know anything about it?”
    â€œI wouldn’t put it past you,” said Miss Blacklock grimly. “I thought it might be your idea of a joke.”
    â€œA joke? Nothing of the kind.”
    â€œAnd you, Julia?”
    Julia, looking bored, said: “Of course not.”
    Miss Bunner murmured: “Do you think Mrs. Haymes—” and looked at an empty place where someone had breakfasted earlier.
    â€œOh, I don’t think our Phillipa would try and be funny,” said Patrick. “She’s a serious girl, she is.”
    â€œBut what’s the idea, anyway?” said Julia, yawning. “What does it mean?”
    Miss Blacklock said slowly, “I suppose—it’s some silly sort of hoax.”
    â€œBut why?” Dora Bunner exclaimed. “What’s the point of it? It seems a very stupid sort of joke. And in very bad taste.”
    Her flabby cheeks quivered indignantly, and her shortsighted eyes sparkled with indignation.
    Miss Blacklock smiled at her.
    â€œDon’t work yourself up over it, Bunny,” she said. “It’s just somebody’s idea of humour, but I wish I knew whose.”
    â€œIt says today,” pointed out Miss Bunner. “Today at 6:30 p.m. What do you think is going to happen?”
    â€œ Death! ” said Patrick in sepulchral tones. “Delicious death.”
    â€œBe quiet, Patrick,” said Miss Blacklock as Miss Bunner gave a little yelp.
    â€œI only meant the special cake that Mitzi makes,” said Patrick apologetically. “You know we always call it delicious death.”
    Miss Blacklock smiled a little absentmindedly.
    Miss Bunner persisted: “But Letty, what do you really think—?”
    Her friend cut across the words with reassuring cheerfulness.
    â€œI know one thing that will happen at 6:30,” she said dryly. “We’ll have half the village up here, agog with curiosity. I’d better make sure we’ve got some sherry in the house.”
    II
    â€œYou are worried, aren’t you Lotty?”
    Miss Blacklock started. She had been sitting at her writing-table, absentmindedly drawing little fishes on the blotting paper. She looked up into the anxious face of her old friend.
    She was not quite sure what to say to Dora Bunner. Bunny, she knew, mustn’t be worried or upset. She was silent for a moment or two, thinking.
    She and Dora Bunner had been at school together. Dora then had been a pretty, fair-haired, blue-eyed rather stupid girl. Her being stupid hadn’t mattered, because her gaiety and high spirits and her prettiness had made her an agreeable companion. She ought, her friend thought, to have married some nice Army officer, or a country solicitor. She had so many good qualities—affection, devotion, loyalty. But life had been unkind to Dora Bunner. She had had to earn her living. She had been painstaking but never competent at anything she undertook.
    The two friends had lost sight of each other. But six months ago a letter had come to Miss Blacklock, a rambling, pathetic letter. Dora’s health had given way. She was living in one room, trying to subsist on her old age pension. She endeavoured to do needlework, but her fingers were stiff with rheumatism. She mentioned their schooldays—since then life had driven them apart—but could—possibly—her old friend help?
    Miss Blacklock had responded impulsively. Poor Dora, poor pretty silly fluffy Dora. She had swooped down upon Dora, had carried her off, had installed her at Little Paddocks with the comforting fiction that “the housework is getting too much for me. I need someone to help me run the house.” It was not for long—the doctor had told her that—but sometimes she found poor old Dora a sad trial. She muddled everything, upset the